A young girl claimed she was turned off a bus and told to walk to school because she didn't have the right fare.

A young girl claimed she was turned off a bus and told to walk to school because she didn't have the right fare.

Victoria Spencer, 13, left the bus in tears after she claimed the driver told her he couldn't change her #1 coin and she'd have to walk.

Victoria's furious mum and grandmother are demanding an apology and investigation by bus company Go North East.

Company chiefs have promised to looking into Victoria's claim, which they say is a breach of company policy.

Victoria, staying with her grandmother in Ryton, Gateshead, boarded the 638 bus at Ryton at 7.40am on Friday to go to Winlaton, where she was to catch a second bus to take her to Kingsmeadow Comprehensive, in Dunston.

She had #6 in her purse and when she gave the driver #1 for the 30p fare, she says he told her he didn't have change and she would have to walk to Winlaton, two miles away. Victoria offered to buy a Go and Save daily pass for #2.10 but the driver wouldn't give her one.

Tearful Victoria returned to her grandma's and a taxi was called to take her to school.

Victoria said: "I had a #1 coin and the driver said I had to get off as he had no change.

"The bus fare's 30p anyway so it's not as if it giving him a pound is that much more. I've given drivers pound coins before and there's never been a problem. I don't know why he said it."

Her grandmother, Eileen Allison, 59, of Hollybush Gardens, Stargate Lane, said: "She came back in tears, she was worried about getting to school and had got herself all worked up.

"I feel very bitter about this. I can't believe in this day and age that a driver would turn a girl off a bus for not having the right fare. There was no way he wouldn't know she was a schoolgirl because she had her uniform on and she had her school pass.

"He told her to walk to Winlaton, its a secluded route and she would have been very vulnerable. I want some guarantee that this won't happen again."

A Go North East spokesman said the driver would be spoken to and a full investigation made.

He said: "Our policy is we don't refuse travel to any youngster. In incidents like this, if the child does not have change they are allowed to travel, and their details are taken so the fare can be sorted out at a later date.

"We don't expect any driver to put a child off the bus. We will speak to the driver and if we find he has been at fault we will apologise."